Advertising device



Sept. 9 1924.

1507,640 F. WADDEY ADVERTISING DE-VICE Filed Nov. 19, 1923 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 auoz new:

Sept. 9, 1924. 1,507,640

F. WADDEY ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed'Nov. 19. 1923 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 434 if WZddg y Wiifsxes;

F. WADDEY Se t. 9, 1924.

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F. WADDEY ADVERTISING nsvicr:

Filed Nov. 19. 1925 {sheets-sheet 4 v 7 WM. U 4

F. WADDEY 'ADVERTIS1NG DEVICE 7 'SheetsSheet 5 Sept-,9, 1924.

F. WAD'DEY ADVERTISING DEVICE 7 Sheets-Sheet Filed Nov. 19. 1923 Wadd I 31mm" A A T li JJJ J Tlrll M a m NM \w o NS 6 U In n ll. av \m Sept. 9, 1924.

- F. WADDEY ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Nov. 19, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Patented Sept. 9, 1924.

UNITED STATES FRANK WADDEY, OF FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE.

ADVERTISING DEVICE.

Application filed November 19, 1923. Serial No.675,693.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK WVADDEY, a citizen of the United States, residing. at Franklin, in the county of Williamson and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Advertising Devices, of which the following is a specification.

In carrying out the present invention it is my purpose to provide an advertising device that is in the form of a highly novel and efiicient form of machine and one that maybe especially advantageously employed in show windows or the like for attracting the attention of the public to the Wares of a manufacturer or merchant.

The primary object of this device resides in the provision of such an advertising machine wherein the same is devoid of complicated and expensive gear mechanism, the different display mechanisms of this present machine being operable through the medium of a system oii levers, slides, etc., for thereby overcoming the disagreeable and disadvantageous grinding and rasping noises incident to the operation of advertising machines now employed.

A still further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a machine of the above character wherein the same comprises a plurality of display devices which are operable simultaneously through the medium of a single low powered power plant, preferably an electric motor.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an advertising machine wherein the difierent advertising mediums of said plurality of advertising mechanisms may be readily changed in a novel and simple manner without requiring any great skill upon the part of the operator.

It will therefore be seen from a review of the above, that the primary object of this invention is to substantially improve 3 and simplify over similar devices now upon the market.

lVith the above general objects in view, and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same comprises the novel form, combination and. arrangement of parts of an advertising device herinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe entire number of figures,

Figure 1 is a front elevational viewwof an advertising device constructed in accordance with the present invention, I t F gure is a detailed vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a view in front elevation "of the advertising device per se, the metallic casing therefor being shown n cross section, Flgure 4 153 slmilar vlew of the rearside of said advertising device per se, the casing also being shown in. 'crosssection; ta; g a Figure'5 is a top plan view of the machine the protective casing therefor being removed, Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the lower portion of the machine for more clearly disclosing the double spirally grooved power shaft upon which is rectilineally movable 'in oppositev directions, a carriage member that controls the operation of the different display mechanisms,

Figure 7 is a detailed transverse cross sectional view taken substantially upon the line 7- 7 of Figure 5 for disclosing more clearly one of the means operable by the engagement of the before mentioned .carriage, the "intermittent rotation of a rotary sign box that comprises one of the advertisement display machine,

Figure 8' is a front elevational view of one of the letter or picture display elements that co-operate with other similar elements for bringing to the view'of the public a certain advertising word or slogan or a multiplicity of pictures, said'l'etter or picture display elements being operable in quick succession and this byithe movement of the before mentioned carriage in a certain direction, I

Figure 9 is a 'detailedvertical sectional view taken substantially upon the line 9+9 of Figure8 for more clearly disclosing the specific structure ofsaid letter or picture display element, i

Figure 10' is an enlarged fragmentary transverse cross sectional view through a certain portion of the machine for more clearly disclosing the oppositely rectilineally movable carriage element through the me elements of the 7 present dium of which the said different display devices per so are actuated, said carriage being movable rectilineally in opposite directions through the continued rotation in one direction of the before mentioned doubly spirally grooved power shaft,

Figure 11 is an enlarged detailed longitudinal sectional view taken substantially upon the line 1l11 of Figure 6 and looking forwardly in the direction of the arrows, for more clearly disclosing one of the transversely sliding elements adjacent opposite ends of the machine mechanism and automatically operable in a rearward direction by the contact of the before mentioned carriage with a certain element thereof and this at the limit of movement of the carriage in opposite directions for controlling the step by step rotary move ment of the before mentioned rotary sign box,

Figure 12 is an enlarged bottom plan view of said oppositely rectilinearly movable carriage, and

Figure 13 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken through the above briefly described rotary sign box that comprises one of the advertising mediums of the present advertising machine.

Now having particular reference to the drawings wherein there is shown an advertising device or machine constructed in accordance with the present invention the same comprises a metallic casing 5 open at its lower end and provided with a bottom board 6. As more clearly shown in Figure 1 this casing 5 is formed at its front side and adjacent the bottom thereof with a relatively elongated opening 7 the edges of which are bent inwardly toward each other for providing a light reflector 8 for purposes hereinafter to be more fully described. Similarly, said front wall of the casing 5 is formed centrally with an additional elongated opening 9 surrounding which is an inwardly extending light refleeting hood 10 the purpose of which is also to be hereinafter more fully described.

The top wall of the casing 5 is so formed as to provide a pair of vertical longitudinally extending spaced panels 11 and 12 the foremost panel 12 being formed interme diate its "ends with a relatively square shaped opening 13 while directly above this opening the rearmost panel 11 is formed with a light reflecting hood 14 within which is disposed an electric lamp 15 it being well to herein state that a substantially squareshaped advertisement carrying element 17 has limited movement in opposite directions between the panels 11 and 12 whereby when said advertisement carrying element is moved in a certain direction the advertising element 18 carried by the member 17 will be brought to a position directly rearwardly applied certain advertising words or slo gans, it being obvious from a consideration of the detailed sectional view Figure 2, that this rotary sign box is positioned directly rearwardly of the elongated opening 7 in the metallic casing 5 so that as this sign box is rotated through the medium of a mechanism hereinafter to, be described, the words or slogans upon the different faces thereof may be clearly viewed by the public.

Set within suitable notches formed in the upper edges of said supporting boards 19l9 is a longitudinally extending carriage guide designated generally 22, the same consisting of a pair of spaced channel bars 23 and 24: Figures 2, 6,7 and 10, the opposite ends thereof being rigidly connected by cross strips 25 25.

Journaled at its opposite ends within coaxial openings of said cross strips 25-25 is a horizontal power shaft 26 that is formed intermediate its ends with right and left hand spiral grooves as more clearly shown in Figure 6 for controlling the rectilinear movement in opposite directions of a carriage designated generally 27 that is co-operatively related with said doubly spirally grooved power shaft.

This carriage 27 comprises essentially an angular block 28 that is disposed for sliding movement between the channel bars 23 and 24 of the before'mentioned carriage guide 22 the opposite sides of this block 28 carrying antifriction rollers 2929 that engage within the channels of said bars 23 and 24 for facilitating the free sliding movement of the block between said channel bars.

As clearly shown in Figures 10 and 12, the underside of the block 28 of this rectilineallv movable carriage is formed with a longitudinal. curved channel 30 for allowing free movement thereof over the before mentioned longitudinal spirally grooved shaft 26. Swivelly connected to the underside of said block 28 at a point intermediate the ends thereof is a pintle 31 that carries at its lower end a relatively long arcuate-shaped lug 32 that moves within the grooves of said shaft 26 for obviously controlling the movement of the carriage 27 within its guide as the shaft is being rotated. It is also to be understood that the oppositely extending spiral grooves upon this shaft 26 are interconnected at their opposite ends whereby upon the car-i connecting strips 25 for the longitudinal channel bars 23-24 comprising the guide 22 for the carriage 27 extend outwardly of said.

channel bars 23 and 24 and connected thereto adjacent their lower ends are vertical posts or standards 33 transversely alined ones of which are interconnected by' cross strips 3434 while longitudinally alined ones are interconnected by longitudinal bars '35 and 36 respectively.

lnterposed between the foremost channel bar 23 of the carriage guide 22 and the longitudinal connecting strip between'the foremost standards 33 is a longitudinal row of. vertically disposed letter or picture display devices designated generally 37 the same being arranged directly rearwardly of the hood 10 of the opening 9 in the machine casing 5.

Each of these display devices comprises a relatively narrow and elongated bar 38 that is channeled throughout its length and upon its rear side as indicated by the reference character 39. The lower end of each of these bars 38 is formed with a pintle 40 for engagement within a notch upon theupper 5 edge of the channel bar 23 of the carriage guide 22. The upper end of each of these bars 38 carries a relatively elongated screwthreadedbolt 46 that is adapted for posi tioning within a notch 47 upon the upper edge of the before mentioned longitudinally extending connecting bar 35 after which a wing nut 48 may be screwed thereon for tightly securing these display devices in 7 place. Slidable within the channel 39 ofv each of the bar members 38 is a relatively elongated finger 49 that is connected through the medium of a cross pin 50 with a card carry ing block 51 that is slidable upon the front side of said bar 38 the sliding movement of the finger 49 and the card carrying block 51 being limited by the contacting of the connecting pin 50 with the upper and lower ends of a slot 52 formed in said bar and through which said pin moves. Said finger and card carrying block are also limited in their downward sliding movement through the medium of a cushioned lug 53 formed upon the lower end of the bar 38, Figure 9.

Suitably rigidly connected to the rear side of each of the bars 38 and this at a point substantially intermediate the ends thereof is a plate 54 that is formed with a rearwardly extending pair ofears 55 within which is pivoted a rocking lever 56 the lower end thereof being formed with a pair of inwardlya'nd downwardly extending ears 57 within which is mounted for'rotation a roller 58 that is normally forced through a I slot 59 in the plate 54 for engagement with said finger 49 and for the consequent engagement within a notch 60 upon the rear.

side of said finger for maintaining the same as well as the card carrying-block 51 in an upward position after the same has beenso moved. This roller 58 is normally maintained in the position stated through the medium of an eXpansible spring 61 inten posed between the rocking lever 56 and-the plate 54 and this at a point above the pivotal connection between said lever 56 and the late.

Each of the fingers 49 that is slidable within the channel 39 of its respective bar 38 carries at its lower end a roller 62 these rollers being adapted to be successively engaged by a vertically extending inclined block or plate element 63, Figures 2, 3 and 5, formed upon the forward side of the be fore mentioned carriage 27 and this as'the carriage is moving in a direction toward the left under the action of the spirally grooved shaft 26 it being of course understood that I as these card carrying elements 51 are moved upwardly the same will be maintained in their upwardly extended position through the medium of the before described roller 58 engaging within the slot 60 of the respective finger 49 movable within the slot or channel 39 of the respective bar 38.

It will thus be seen that letters forming a'certain word or slogan may be inserted within the guide flanges 51 of the different card carryingblocks 51 and that when the shaft 26 is rotating which rotation is preferably caused through the medium of an elec tric motor A suitably operatively connected by belt B and pulleys C to the shaft the carriage 27 will first move in a direction toward the right of Figure 3 whereby the'before described inclined element- 63 of said carriage will successively engage the rollers 62 for consequently moving these card carrying blocks in an upwardposit'ion for manifestly bringing the same to view rearwardly of of which is disposed an electric lamp 65 that is in normally open circuit with a suitable source of electric energy through the medium of a switch designated generally 66 carried by the respective bar 38 of the dis- T play devices 32. These'switches 66 consist of a stationary spring contact 67 and a movable button cont-act 67 the button contact adapted .to be forced upwardly into engagement withthespring contact 67 through the Leo upward movement of the respective card carrying blocks 51 of that particular display device. It will thus be seen that simultaneously with the movement of the card carrying blocks 51 to their position. rearwardly of the opening 9 in the casing 5, the circuit will be completed to therespective lamps for producing a novel and attractive display.

Joined at its opposite ends to the before mentioned connecting members 39-34 between the transversely alined ones of the vertical posts 33 and beneath the connecting bars 35 and 36 is a longitudinally extending bar 68, Figures 2 and 5 that is formed upon its top side and adjacent its front edge with a channel 69 within which is positioned the rib 70 of a sliding bar 71 of a length less than the before mentioned horizontal bar 38 and which carries upon its top side a plu rality of spaced rollers 72 for engagement with rollers 73 upon the upper ends of the rocking levers 56 of the before described display devices 32 whereby when this bar 71 is forcibly moved in a direction toward the right, said levers 56 will be rocked upon their pivots for consequently disengaging the rollers 58 from the notches 60 of the fingers 49 for thereby allowing the card carrying blocks 51 to drop downwardly to their normal out of sight position and for consequently cutting off the flow of current to the electric lamps 65 as more clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3.

One end of the sliding bar 71 is .formed with an extension finger 74 that extends outwardly of its supporting and guide bar 68 and is pivotally connected as at 75 to the upper end of a. rocker arm 76 that is in turn pivotally connected as at 77 adjacent its upper end between a pair of spaced strips 78 suitably secured to this end of the ma.- chine frame. Pivotally secured to the lower end of this rocker arm 7 6 as at 79 is an in.- wardly extending push bar 80 that is slidable through a slot in the adjacent one of the connecting strips 25 between the opposite ends of the channel bars 23 and 2a comprising the carriage guide frame.

It will thus be obvious that a. movement of the carriage toward the right will raise the card carrying block to the position shown in Figurel and while the carriage is being returned to the position shown in Figures 3, a and 6, the block portion 28 thereof will contact the push rod 80 for manifestly controlling a sliding movement of the slide bar 71 for thereby engaging the rollers 72 with the rollers 73 of the different display devices for consequently allowing the card carrying blocks to drop to the position above stated.

As a means for maintaining the slide bar 71 in its normal inoperative position .a retractile spring 81 is provided which is connected at one end to the rock bar 76 and at its opposite end to a connecting bar 82 between the rearmost pair of vertical posts or standards 33.

As the carriage 27 is attempting to reach its limit of movement in opposite directions an upwardly extending block 83 will engage at its opposite ends rocking levers 84: and 85 respectively which are pivotally secured intermediate their ends as at 84L and-85 to connections 8686 between said horizontal bar 82 and the before mentioned horizontal bar 68 upon which is movable the slide bar 71. These rocking levers 84 and 85 are in turn adjustably pivotally secured at their upper ends to a connecting rod 87 that slides,

gaged by the adjacent end of the connecting rod 87 for consequently completing the nifcu1t between the before mentioned source of electric energy and the electric lamp 14 withinthe hood 15 for thereby illuminating the sign element as the same is displayed.

Adjacent opposite ends of thecarriage guide 22 and extending rearwardly therefrom are channel guide strips -89-89 Figures 2, 4 and 7, and within the channels of which are movable in opposite directions, flanged ribs 90 formed .upon the underside of slide bars 91--91. The front end of each of these slide bars 91 is equipped with a roller 92 which are to be respectively engaged by the curved edge of a rearwardly extending lip 93 formed upon the block28 of the rectilineally movable carriage 27. Each of these slide bars91 has sliding pivotal connection as at 94; Figure 2. with the upper end ofa rock bar 95 that is pivoted intermediate its ends as at 96 to the adjacent one of the before mentioned transversely extending spaced pair of supporting strips 19.- The lower end of each of these.

rockbars 95 is pivotally connected as at 97 to a relatively elongated forwardly extending ratchet lever 98 that co-operates with a ratchet wheel 99 upon the sign box carrying shaft 20 there being one of these ratchet wheels at opposite ends of the rotary sign box 21, as shownin Figure 3.

Each of the slide bars 91 is maintained in the position shown in Figure 7 through the medium of a retractile spring 100 that is positioned within the channel of tlierespective guide 89 which spring is secured at one end to said slide bar 91 and at its opposite end to the guide.

It will thus be seen that simultaneouslywith the other operations effected by the movement of the carriage 27 the same will as it reaches its limit of movement in opposite directions, move to a rearward position the respective slide bar 91 for consequently so actuating the ratchet lever 98 as to intermittently rotate the sign box 52 1 for consequently bringing to view through the opening 7 in the casing 5 the diiferent'advertising mediums upon the spaces of said sign box.

At one end of the advertisement display carrying box 21 the same is provided with a series of projecting fingers 101 which as the boxis being rotated the same will engage a spring contact 102 of a switch 103 which will force the same into engagement with the stationary contact 104 thereof for manifestly completing the circuit from the before mentioned source of electric supply to electric lamps 105 within reflectors 106 formed at the opposite ends of the hood 8 surrounding the opening 7 in the machine casing 5.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a highly novel and efficient form of advertising machine and one that may be manufactured and marketed at a cost considerably less than is now possible with other types of advertising machines or devices upon the market, it being also clearly obvious to those skilled in the art that a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention will operate efficiently under all conditions and one that is not liable to become readily out of order. i

The specific operation together with numerous advantages of a machine of this chararcter will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, and even though I have herein set forth that this device comprises certain specific structural elements it is nevertheless to be understood that modifications may be had therein without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an advertising devlce, a casing formed w1th an opening, a frame structure positioned within said casing, a longitudinal shaft journaled within said frame, means for rotating the same, a carriage rectilineally movable in opposite directions upon said shaft, a longitudinal row of letter carrying elements slidably disposed upon the frame structure and normally positioned beneath the opening in the casing, abutments carried by said letter carrying elements adapted to be engaged by the carriage while the same is moving in a certain direction, means for maintaining said letter carrying elements in a raised position, and means automatically operableby the return movement of the carriage for releasing said means for allow ing said letter carrying elements to drop to their initial position beneath the opening in the casing;

2. In an advertising device, a casing formed with an opening, a frame structure within the opening, a longitudinal shaft journaledwithin the frame structure and formed with oppositely extending spiral grooves inter-connected at their opposite ends, means for rotating said shaft, a carriage slidably disposed within the frame and movable in opposite directions through the medium of said oppositely spirallygrooved shaft, a longitudinal row of vertically slidable card carrying elements disposed upon said frame, abutments carried by said card a grooves inter-connected at their opposite ends, means for rotating said shaft, a carriage slidably disposed within the frame and movable in opposite directions through the medium of said oppositely spirally grooved shaft, a longitudinal row of vertically slidable card carrying elements disposedupon said frame, abutments carried by said'card carrying members and adapted to be engaged by the carriage when the same is moving in a certain direction, whereby said card carrying members are raised to a position behind the opening in the casing, means for maintaining said card carrying members in their elevated position, and means operable by the return movement of the carriagefor releasing said retaining means.

1. In an advertising device, a casing formed with an opening, a sign box disposed for rotation within the casing and behind said opening, ratchet wheels upon the opposite ends of said sign box, a frame structure supported within the casing, a longitudinal shaft journaled for rotation within said frame, a carriage re'ctilineally movable in opposite directions through the medium of said shaft, slide members adjacent the opposite ends of said frame and adapted to be moved rearwardly by the action of said can riage at its limit of movement in opposite directions, automatic means for returning said slides to a position to be actuated by said carriage, and ratchet levers'co-operating with said ratchet wheels operable by said slides for controlling the step by step rotation of said sign box.

5. In an advertising device, a casing formed with an opening, a sign box disposed for rotation Within the casing and behind said opening, ratchet Wheels u on the opposite ends of said sign box, a rams structure supported Within the casing, a longitudinal shaft journaled for rotation Within said frame, a carriage rectilineally movable in; opposite directions through the medium of said shaft, slide members adjacent the 0pposits ends of said frame and adapted to bedirections, automatic means for returning.

said slides to a position to be actuated by said carriage, ratchet levers co-operating with said ratchet Wheels operable by said slides for controlling the step by step rotation of said sign box, and means for automatically directing light rays upon said sign box as the same is rotating.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRANK WADDEYL 

